Coleus plant named &#39;UF16-72-8&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘UF16-72-8’ is a new coleus plant with novel characteristics that include a vigorous compact mounded growth habit, an excellent heat tolerance, and consistent bright green leaves with maroon venation and pink accents. It has superior stability in foliage color in both sun and shade conditions, maintaining stable color in all conditions. ‘UF16-72-8’ has not been observed to produce flowers in any trial we have conducted to date, and thus it has long season performance as an annual plant in the landscape until late Fall.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Plectranthus scutellarioides.

Cultivar denomination: ‘UF16-72-8’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of coleus plant named ‘UF16-72-8’. ‘UF16-72-8’ originated from an open-pollination conducted in May-November 2015 in Gainesville, Fla. between the female coleus plant ‘UF15-95-1’ (unpatented) and an unknown male coleus plant. A single seedling was chosen in May 2016 for further asexual propagation in Gainesville, Fla.

‘UF16-72-8’ has been reproduced asexually for over 18 months through vegetative cuttings and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations. ‘UF16-72-8’ was first propagated asexually by meristem tip cuttings in May 2016 in Gainesville, Fla., and has remained true-to-type since that time.

‘UF16-72-8’ has large dark green leaves with distinct maroon venation and pink accents leaves; whereas, ‘UF15-95-1,’ the female parent, has leaves colored dark maroon with green margins. ‘UF16-72-8’ has moderate vigor and well-branched upright habit; whereas, ‘UF15-95-1’ is vigorous, but more mounded in habit with more lateral branching.

‘UF16-72-8’ has similar foliage color and patterning to that of the commercial variety ‘Mainstreet Abbey Road’ (‘UF12-46-2,’ unpatented), but ‘UF16-72-8’ leaves have hints of pink and its leaf venation pattern is more consistent in sun and shade than that of ‘UF12-46-2.’ Further, ‘UF16-72-8’ is not as rangy and vigorous as ‘UF12-46-2’, and thus ‘UF16-72-8’ is more compact and refined in habit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are characteristics of ‘UF16-72-8’ when grown under normal horticultural practices in Gainesville, Fla. ‘UF16-72-8’ has a novel, vigorous, compact upright growth habit, an excellent heat tolerance, and consistent bright green leaves with purple venation that are significantly different than other coleus plants. It has superior stability in foliage color in both sun and shade conditions, maintaining stable color in all conditions. When ‘UF16-72-8’ is grown as a stock plant, it has a vigorous but compact upright growth habit with excellent lateral branching, and thus provides ample vegetative propagules for producers. ‘UF16-72-8’ has not been observed to produce flowers in any trial we have conducted to date in Gainesville, Fla., and thus it is desirable for long-season performance in the landscape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new coleus plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs, which show the plant's form and foliage. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photographs in FIGS. 2 and 3 are of plants grown for 11 weeks from unrooted cuttings in May-July 2017 in a poly-covered plastic greenhouse in Gainesville, Fla.

FIG. 1—Shows the pedigree of ‘UF16-72-8.’.

FIG. 2—Shows the growth habit, form, and foliage of ‘UF16-72-8’.

FIG. 3—Shows a close-up of the foliage of ‘UF16-72-8.’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘UF16-72-8.’ The detailed description was obtained using 10-week-old plants grown from unrooted cuttings in May-July 2017 in a poly-covered plastic greenhouse in Gainesville, Fla. The plants were propagated in mist for 10 days after cuttings were stuck and then grown in 1-gallon pots for approximately 9.5 additional weeks. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 2007 5th Edition.

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Lamiaceae.         -   Botanical.—Plectranthus scutellarioides.         -   Common name.—Coleus.         -   Cultivar name.—‘UF16-72-8’. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Spreading.         -   Habit.—Upright.         -   Height (from top of soil).—35-40 cm.         -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—55-60 cm. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cuttings.—Vegetative meristems having at least 1 node.         -   Time to initiate roots.—3-4 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—7-10 days.         -   Root habit.—Fibrous.         -   Root description.—Callus forms in 2 to 3 days, roots             initiate in 3-4 days and become a highly branched cutting in             7-10 days. -   Branches:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—6-7.         -   Branch color.—RHS 144A.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Pubescence.—Not present.         -   Stem description.—Square-shaped stem, 0.7 cm in diameter at             the soil line.         -   Branch diameter.—0.5-0.6 cm at the base of a 24 cm long             branch.         -   Branch length.—30-35 cm.         -   Internode length.—5-6 cm.         -   Anthocyanin.—Not present. -   Leaves:     -   -   Quantity of leaves per branch.—16-18. Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Fragrance.—Not fragrant.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Length.—10-12 cm.         -   Width.—10-12 cm.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Leaf texture (both surfaces).—Smooth.         -   Pubescence color (both surfaces).—Not present.         -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS N92A and RHS 143C. Lower             surface: RHS 145C.         -   Venation pattern.—Upper surface: Reticulate. Lower surface:             Reticulate.         -   Color.—Immature leaf: Upper surface: RHS N145A. Lower             surface: RHS 145B.         -   Color.—Mature leaf: Upper surface: Vein region=RHS N92A;             Between Veins=RHS 143C; Base=RHS 138A. Lower surface: RHS             138B.         -   Petiole length.—5-6 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 145A.         -   Petiole texture.—Smooth, no pubescence. -   Flowers and seeds: Flowers and seeds have not been observed to date     during formal trials in Gainesville, Fla. -   Fruit/seed set: Fruit/seed not observed. -   Disease and insect resistance: Disease and insect resistance is     typical of the species, and thus no claims are made of any superior     disease or insect resistance with this cultivar. The most common     insect pests observed on this plant in Gainesville, Fla. have been     long-tailed or citrus mealybugs (Pseudococcus sp.), which occur on     older stock plant material held in the greenhouse for over 3-4     months. Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (Bunyaviridae) has also been     observed in plants confined in greenhouses with mixed crops     (peppers) infected with Western flower thrips (Frankliniella     occidentalis). The most common pathogen of this species in the U.S.     is downy mildew (Peronospora lamii). This pathogen has been observed     in stock materials grown closely together in cooler growing seasons. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Plectranthus scutellarioides plant called ‘UF16-72-8’ as shown and described herein. 